Crocodile hatchlings create panic in Andaman village

Published: Tuesday, July 8, 2008, 11:07 [IST]

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Port Blair, Jul 08 (UNI) Islanders in a remote village of South Andaman have been apprehensive and panic-stricken since the past few days as they often find crocodile hatchlings (baby crocodiles) on village roads.

The villagers of R K Pur, Little Andaman, claimed that dozens of crocks are often found on village roads, which were coming out of the creeks in large numbers for unknown reasons.

However, experts believe that the hatchlings come out on the road attracted by the temperature of the road, which is comparatively higher than nearby areas.

The creeks and coastal belts of some parts of Andaman and Nicobar Islands are the habitat of saltwater-crocodiles but finding crocks on roads is a new phenomenon in the remote Indian Island.

Meanwhile, another fear among the villagers is that following the crocodile hatchlings, the mother crocodiles could also come up on the roads, which might lead to disastrous consequences.

Village public leaders and islanders had already reported the matter to Forest Officials of Andaman Administration and concerned Panchayat but so far there was no move to fence the stretch of road, villagers alleged.

''The hatchlings are two or three months old it seems and strong enough to bite and injure,'' Mrinal Basu, a resident of Little Andaman village, said.

However, forest officials of Little Andaman Islands, nearly 100 km from Port Blair, could not be contacted in this regard.